The press conference was broadcast live across the internet. And the moment I finished speaking, the internet exploded. I made sure to project the live chat onto the big screen at the venue. “Zane? Isn’t he that guy who used to work at Salvatore Corp?” “Yeah, I know him! He’s working for Lawson Corp now!” “I’m an insider at Eclipse Corporation! Let me tell you—Zane tried to win people over, embezzled funds, and even plotted a power grab. He got kicked out in the end!” “Whoa, this is wild! I’m just here for the drama—I don’t even know who’s right anymore.” The reporters were stunned. Their cameras shifted immediately, frantically capturing the barrage of comments. I couldn’t help laughing. “Aiden, look at them. Don’t they remind you of reeds swaying in the wind?” Aiden gave me a look I didn’t quite recognize. “Yeah.” I blinked, surprised. “That’s the first time you’ve answered one of my dumb questions. Usually, you’d just tell me I’m being childish.” Aiden didn’t even bother replying. He turned and walked off. I chuckled and let it go. Expecting a genuine reaction from the Eclipse Pack heir? I’d be better off hoping dinner tonight had one of my favorite dishes. The launch of my new jewelry line had been a complete success. With this wave of public backlash, Lawson Corp had been utterly crushed. Sales at Eclipse Corporation exploded. But something didn’t sit right with me. It was too quiet. Given Zane’s personality—vindictive and relentless—he wouldn’t take a loss like this lying down. He’d be planning something far worse in retaliation.But it had already been over a week since the launch, and there hadn’t been the slightest movement from him. That wasn’t normal. On a weekday afternoon, I went to drop off some documents at Aiden’s office. Just as I stepped out, the fire alarm lights on the ceiling started flashing, followed by an ear-splitting siren. “Fire!” Someone shouted, and the entire office broke into chaos. The werewolves started panicking, rushing for the exits. We couldn’t use the elevators during a fire, and since our offices were on the upper floors, everyone bolted for the stairs. But thick smoke rising from below soon forced them to retreat. I was about to run too when I saw them come back up, coughing and panicked. “Here—use this, don’t breathe in the smoke.” I turned at the voice and saw Aiden beside me, holding out two damp towels. I nodded and took one, then immediately called emergency services on my phone. With no way out, the building was falling into disarray. Some werewolves shifted into wolf form, trying to break the windows with their claws, desperate to jump out. I held the towel over my nose and mouth and headed to the stairwell. Releasing my Alpha sense, I checked for danger. The smoke was dense, but it was coming from the lower floors. There were no visible flames in the stairwell itself. I rushed back into the main hall and called out loudly to the frantic crowd. “Everyone, stay calm! There’s no fire in the stairwell. Take any towels or pieces of clothing you have and soak them. Cover your mouths and noses. Wet yourselves down if possible—it’ll help avoid burns and keep your body temperature down.” My shout cut through the chaos, and the room quickly quieted. I pointed to Aiden. “Mr. Aiden is here too, so there’s no need to panic. Line up and head down one by one—don’t crowd. If the smoke’s too heavy, crouch low and move carefully. We’ll all make it out safely.” Aiden called out too. “I’ll bring up the rear. You all go first.” Hearing Aiden’s voice reassured them. The crowd began moving in an orderly line toward the stairwell. Aiden motioned for me to go first, but I shook my head. I was staying with him till the end. He knew better than to argue and gave up. Once everyone had gone, Aiden and I ducked our heads, covered our mouths with towels, and entered the smoke-filled stairwell. There were no flames, but the smoke was suffocating. We had to keep our bodies low and move slowly, following the others downward. We made it to the tenth floor when a young she-wolf at the end of the line suddenly began coughing violently. I looked and saw she’d lost her towel somehow. Trembling with fear, she had crouched down on the steps and couldn’t move. I handed her mine. “Thank you—but what about you?” she asked, grateful but worried as she covered her mouth and inhaled a breath of relief. “I’ll be fine. I’m built tougher—I can handle it.” But no sooner had those words left my mouth than I inhaled a heavy dose of smoke—and broke into a violent coughing fit myself.